[Narrator] When people from New York to New Guinea
[Narrator] When people from New York to New Guinea

vote in elections, they have Australia to thank
vote in elections, they have Australia to thank

for a reform that changed democracy itself.
for a reform that changed democracy itself.

[Woman] The democracy sausage.
[Woman] The democracy sausage.

[Narrator] What?
[Narrator] What?

[Woman] You know, the sausage sandwich you buy
[Woman] You know, the sausage sandwich you buy

when you vote.
when you vote.

It’s the best thing about elections!
It’s the best thing about elections!

Sometimes you even get free onions!
Sometimes you even get free onions!

[Narrator] A reform that changed democracy itself,
[Narrator] A reform that changed democracy itself,

even more than the democracy sausage,
even more than the democracy sausage,

with or without free onions.
with or without free onions.

The modern secret ballot.
The modern secret ballot.

On the 27th of August 1856, the colony of Victoria
On the 27th of August 1856, the colony of Victoria

unveiled the secret ballot.
unveiled the secret ballot.

But before we tell you how totes amazeballs it was,
But before we tell you how totes amazeballs it was,

you need to know about the British open voting system
you need to know about the British open voting system

it replaced.
it replaced.

Yes, what is it?
Yes, what is it?

[Man] I’m voting.
[Man] I’m voting.

[Narrator] British voters would gather outdoors
[Narrator] British voters would gather outdoors

and raise a hand when their candidate’s name was read out.
and raise a hand when their candidate’s name was read out.

A winner was announced, and then the losers
A winner was announced, and then the losers

could spit the dummy and demand a formal vote.
could spit the dummy and demand a formal vote.

Voters would then write their candidate’s name
Voters would then write their candidate’s name

on any old piece of paper and hand it to an official,
on any old piece of paper and hand it to an official,

who’d announce who they’d voted for.
who’d announce who they’d voted for.

As MPs weren’t paid, candidates were inevitably
As MPs weren’t paid, candidates were inevitably

wealthy landowners.
wealthy landowners.

They knew who’d supported them,
They knew who’d supported them,

and knew how to punish those who hadn’t.
and knew how to punish those who hadn’t.

[Lord] I say, Jones, you didn’t vote for me.
[Lord] I say, Jones, you didn’t vote for me.

I’m revoking your lease.
I’m revoking your lease.

Get off my land.
Get off my land.

[Narrator] The unfairness of British elections
[Narrator] The unfairness of British elections

went beyond voter intimidation.
went beyond voter intimidation.

Women couldn’t vote, nor could men
Women couldn’t vote, nor could men

who didn’t own or rent sufficient property.
who didn’t own or rent sufficient property.

In 1838, British working-class leaders
In 1838, British working-class leaders

signed the People’s Charter,
signed the People’s Charter,

which demanded electoral reforms,
which demanded electoral reforms,

including the vote for all men.
including the vote for all men.

And to ensure voters weren’t pressured
And to ensure voters weren’t pressured

by their landlords or bosses, Chartists,
by their landlords or bosses, Chartists,

as supporters of the Charter became known,
as supporters of the Charter became known,

called for the secret ballot.
called for the secret ballot.

The government responded to a number of Chartist uprisings
The government responded to a number of Chartist uprisings

by imprisoning the movement’s leaders,
by imprisoning the movement’s leaders,

with dozens sent to Australia as convicts.
with dozens sent to Australia as convicts.

Australia’s first elections were held
Australia’s first elections were held

in New South Wales in 1843.
in New South Wales in 1843.

Australian elections were commonly held in pubs,
Australian elections were commonly held in pubs,

with candidates providing those who voted for them
with candidates providing those who voted for them

with free drinks and food.
with free drinks and food.

[Woman] Sausages?
[Woman] Sausages?

[Narrator] Maybe, who cares?
[Narrator] Maybe, who cares?

Many of the 1843 races pitted Catholics against Protestants,
Many of the 1843 races pitted Catholics against Protestants,

and hostility increased as the free booze flowed
and hostility increased as the free booze flowed

and officials posted hourly vote counts.
and officials posted hourly vote counts.

In Sydney, Irish Catholic supporters of Maurice O’Connell
In Sydney, Irish Catholic supporters of Maurice O’Connell

armed themselves with fence palings
armed themselves with fence palings

and demolished William Wentworth’s campaign tent.
and demolished William Wentworth’s campaign tent.

Whalers supporting Wentworth
Whalers supporting Wentworth

attacked the Irish with harpoons.
attacked the Irish with harpoons.

One death was recorded during the riots that followed.
One death was recorded during the riots that followed.

This was democracy Australian style.
This was democracy Australian style.

Governor Gipps reported to London.
Governor Gipps reported to London.

[Governor] The elections in general went off very well.
[Governor] The elections in general went off very well.

[Narrator] Many migrants to Australia were working class
[Narrator] Many migrants to Australia were working class

and supported the Chartist agenda.
and supported the Chartist agenda.

Come the gold rush, Victorian diggers who paid a mining tax
Come the gold rush, Victorian diggers who paid a mining tax

but couldn’t vote demanded the vote for all men.
but couldn’t vote demanded the vote for all men.

Some also called for the secret ballot.
Some also called for the secret ballot.

The Victorian public swung behind the miners
The Victorian public swung behind the miners

after the 1854 Battle of the Eureka Stockade.
after the 1854 Battle of the Eureka Stockade.

Victorian politician William Nicholson
Victorian politician William Nicholson

secured support for the ballot from a narrow majority
secured support for the ballot from a narrow majority

of his Legislative Council colleagues,
of his Legislative Council colleagues,

with Premier Haines resigning in disgust.
with Premier Haines resigning in disgust.

Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania
Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania

all passed secret ballot laws in 1856,
all passed secret ballot laws in 1856,

with Victoria first to go live
with Victoria first to go live

with a new voting system designed by a lawyer
with a new voting system designed by a lawyer

for the Eureka rebels, Henry Chapman.
for the Eureka rebels, Henry Chapman.

Government officials gave voters a standard form,
Government officials gave voters a standard form,

with candidate names printed in alphabetical order.
with candidate names printed in alphabetical order.

Each voter would then enter a private stall,
Each voter would then enter a private stall,

cross out the names of candidates they didn’t support,
cross out the names of candidates they didn’t support,

and place their vote in a sealed box.
and place their vote in a sealed box.

There were no drunken crowds or hourly updates
There were no drunken crowds or hourly updates

to inflame tensions.
to inflame tensions.

Even the ballot’s former opponents acknowledged its success.
Even the ballot’s former opponents acknowledged its success.

In 1856, South Australia gave all men the vote
In 1856, South Australia gave all men the vote

in elections for the new Legislative Assembly.
in elections for the new Legislative Assembly.

And in 1858, William Boothby produced a ballot
And in 1858, William Boothby produced a ballot

that allowed South Australian voters to place an X in a box
that allowed South Australian voters to place an X in a box

beside their candidate’s name.
beside their candidate’s name.

London’s Times newspaper thundered that anonymous voting
London’s Times newspaper thundered that anonymous voting

was a vile system for cowards and liars.
was a vile system for cowards and liars.

But in 1872, Britain adopted Boothby’s brainchild
But in 1872, Britain adopted Boothby’s brainchild

and US states embraced the Australian ballot,
and US states embraced the Australian ballot,

as they called it, from 1888.
as they called it, from 1888.

The Australian ballot is now used around the globe.
The Australian ballot is now used around the globe.

[Woman] And the democracy sausage
[Woman] And the democracy sausage

was the icing on the cake.
was the icing on the cake.

[Narrator] Oh, for goodness sake,
[Narrator] Oh, for goodness sake,

stop with the mixed metaphors.
stop with the mixed metaphors.

[Woman] What have you got against sausages?
[Woman] What have you got against sausages?

And cakes?
And cakes?

Why shouldn't Australians be able to enjoy
Why shouldn't Australians be able to enjoy

a sausage and cake every few years?
a sausage and cake every few years?

Democracy sausage was the 2016 Australian Word of the Year,
Democracy sausage was the 2016 Australian Word of the Year,

even though it’s two words.
even though it’s two words.

Democracy sausage.
Democracy sausage.

Democracy sausage.
Democracy sausage.

Democracy...
Democracy...